-
Victoria Matiash, Fantasy Hockey
Every Monday, we’ll mine the waiver wire for lesser-rostered performers who have the potential to help fantasy teams in a variety of leagues. We’ll also present several strong streaming candidates for the immediate week ahead.
Resources: Goalie depth chart | Daily lines | Projections | Play for free | Player rater | Most added/dropped | Mock draft lobby | How to watch on ESPN+
Forwards
Logan Stankoven, F, Dallas Stars (Rostered in 29.1% of ESPN Fantasy leagues): Whether he skates on a line with Roope Hintz and Jason Robertson (last week) or alongside Jamie Benn and Wyatt Johnston (Sunday), Stankoven is going to contribute. His four assists strongly suggest as much. Projected to break out this year, the 21-year-old is already off to an impressive start.
Jonathan Huberdeau, F, Calgary Flames (43.6%): No, he’s not going to post 115 points like he did three years ago in Florida, but the three-goal/two-assist start suggests we can expect a bump in production from the last couple of campaigns in Calgary. That Huberdeau is feeling confident and loose to start 2024-25 is also encouraging. The proven contributor — 725 points through 834 regular-season games doesn’t happen by accident — is certainly worth a flier in deeper leagues.
Casey Mittelstadt, F, Colorado Avalanche (20.2%): Colorado’s second-line center has two goals to show for two games, including one with the extra skater. While Mittelstadt is bound to fall off that premier unit if/when the club’s top players rejoin the roster, the anticipated returns of Valeri Nichushkin/Artturi Lehkonen/Gabriel Landeskog will only strengthen his scoring prospects at even-strength.
Pavel Zacha, F, Boston Bruins (30.0%): Guess who’s skating on a top line and power play with David Pastrnak and Elias Lindholm and remains available in 70% of ESPN Fantasy leagues? Zacha scored a career-high 59 points in 78 games with the Bruins this past season. If he sticks in his current position, the 27-year-old will exceed 65 this campaign. He deserves a roster spot in deeper fantasy competition.
Ivan Barbashev, F, Vegas Golden Knights (61.0%): Just in case he’s still available, the top-line winger should be snatched up in all but the shallowest of fantasy leagues. Skating with Jack Eichel and Mark Stone, Barbashev has three goals and three assists to show for a trio of contests. He’s good for a fair number of hits as well. Just don’t expect too much production on the power play. Not unless the 28-year-old earns an opportunity on that No. 1 unit.
Barrett Hayton, Utah Hockey Club (29.3%): While others swoon over Dylan Guenther‘s five goals to start — and with good reason — please note that Hayton has five points on 11 shots through Utah’s first three contests. And unlike Guenther, the team’s top-line center who competes alongside the enduringly consistent Clayton Keller is available in more than two-thirds of ESPN Fantasy leagues.
See also:
Defensemen
1:10
Stat Stories: Friday’s standout NHL fantasy performances
Check out some of the top performers in fantasy NHL from Friday, including Nikita Kucherov and Mark Scheifele.
Shayne Gostisbehere, D, Carolina Hurricanes (32.3%): Pegged to anchor Carolina’s top power play to start 2024-25, the once-again Hurricane earned 29 points with the extra skater in Detroit this past season and 56 total. Perhaps the quietest 56 points from a defender in 2023-24 altogether. Gostisbehere deserves a spot on any fantasy roster in leagues that reward scoring with the man-advantage.
Brandt Clarke, D, Los Angeles Kings (7.6%): With Drew Doughty sidelined for months, Clarke is Jim Hiller’s early choice to fill in on the Kings’ No. 1 power play. After pacing out at nearly a point/game with the AHL Reign this past campaign, this gifted offensive-defenseman is going to put up some serious numbers in the NHL as early as this season.
See also:
Goaltenders
Anthony Stolarz, G, Toronto Maple Leafs (23.1%): While Joseph Woll remains sidelined with a lower-body injury and without a timeline for return, Stolarz is the go-to for the Leafs’ starting job most nights. He has been superb so far, posting a .940% and 1.54 GAA through two starts. Current backup Dennis Hildeby also merits consideration as an off-radar daily fantasy performer when offered the opportunity. While the 23-year-old has only one NHL game under his pads, he looked solid enough in that 4-2 victory over New Jersey.
Sam Montembeault, G, Montreal Canadiens (45.9%): He has looked great so far, no question. After pitching a 48-save shutout against the Maple Leafs opening night, Montembeault surrendered just the one goal in a follow-up victory over the Senators. If the Canadiens can remain competitive on a nightly basis, their club’s No. 1 could prove to be more valuable in the fantasy forum than anticipated.
See also:
Short-term streamers
Ross Colton, F, Colorado Avalanche (8.7%): The Avs play the Islanders, Bruins, Ducks, and Sharks every second night this week when most other teams are off. Skating in Colorado’s top six, Colton scored a goal and registered a power-play assist in Saturday’s 6-4 loss to Columbus. If Casey Mittelstadt is already spoken for, consider giving Colton a whirl over the next few days.
Phillip Danault, F, Los Angeles Kings (22.7%): The second-line center is due to add to his scoring total when his club tours Eastern Canada with stops in Ottawa (Linus Ullmark is day-to-day), Toronto, and his former home in Montreal. Those three contests fall in a span of four days to launch the week, before the Kings head back west to play the Ducks on Sunday.
Mikael Granlund, F, San Jose Sharks (26%): Granlund is filling in for Macklin Celebrini (lower-body injury) on the top line when the Sharks face the Stars, Blackhawks, Jets and Avs. Remember, the veteran center collected 60 points in 69 games in his first tour with San Jose this past season.
Paul Cotter, F, New Jersey Devils (24.8%): Of course he’s going to cool off, but perhaps not before the Devils battle Utah, Carolina, Ottawa and Washington. His four-goal total (plus one assist) in four games is hard to overlook.
Source: www.espn.com